tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77041462015-03-31T07:24:30.911-04:00CDR SalamanderProactively “From the Sea”; leveraging the littoral best practices for a paradigm breaking six-sigma best business case to synergize a consistent design in the global commons, rightsizing the core values supporting our mission statement via the 5-vector model through cultural diversity.CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.comBlogger7650125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-28736033353971271062015-03-31T07:24:00.001-04:002015-03-31T07:24:30.928-04:00Sen. McCain Starts the Most Important Thing You're Ignoring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4H_8_Eztsto/VRoZsju5rgI/AAAAAAAAJbw/LvDtG4N4uic/s1600/1986-womens-fashion-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4H_8_Eztsto/VRoZsju5rgI/AAAAAAAAJbw/LvDtG4N4uic/s1600/1986-womens-fashion-01.jpg" height="320" width="262" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Senator McCain (R-AZ) seems to be taking point on a critically important area that is in dire need of updating - the archaic framework that our national security infrastructure is built around; the Cold War <a href="http://breakingdefense.com/2015/03/mccain-launches-goldwater-nichols-review-how-far-will-he-go/">Goldwater-Nichols</a>.</span><br /><blockquote>Sen. John McCain plans a long-term review of the law underpinning the modern American military, the Goldwater-Nichols legislation that created the current chain of command from president to defense secretary to combatant commanders.<br /><br />“The Committee will be conducting a preliminary examination of the structure, roles, and missions of civilian and military organizations within the (Defense) Department. That will set the stage for a broader review of these issues starting after this year’s NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) and extending into next year, many of which are tied directly to Goldwater-Nichols Act,” </blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We've asked this question a lot over the last half-decade with some of our guests on <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/midrats">Midrats</a>, and the general consensus was that almost three decades was long enough.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Read the whole thing, but I find question #3 the most interesting;</span><br /><blockquote>“At the same time, three decades later, there are real questions about how Goldwater-Nichols has been implemented and what unintended consequences may have resulted. For example:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">- “Are the roles and missions of the Joint Staff, Combatant Commands, Joint Task Forces, and other headquarters elements properly aligned to conduct strategic planning, equip our warfighters, and maximize combat power?<br />- “Does the vast enterprise that has become the Office of the Secretary of Defense further our ability to meet present and future military challenges?<br /><b>- “Does the constant churn of uniformed officers through joint assignments make them more effective military leaders, or has this exercise become more of a self-justification for a large officer corps?</b><br />- “Is the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act of 1980 still appropriate for the joint force of 2015 and beyond, or is it time to review this law?</blockquote></blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This is a good and meaningful development. More to come, if we're lucky enough to have proper followthrough. I don't think keeping with the status quo is the right answer.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Don't get by wrong, I loved the '80s ... but that was a very different time with different threats and different solutions to problems we face.</span>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-80659761619202786492015-03-30T07:23:00.000-04:002015-03-30T07:23:20.239-04:00General Mattis and the Path not Taken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ORP7Nc0f6Zs/VRjFUSSsCdI/AAAAAAAAJbY/k8S107RR12g/s1600/P30_ALE_1024_299712k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ORP7Nc0f6Zs/VRjFUSSsCdI/AAAAAAAAJbY/k8S107RR12g/s1600/P30_ALE_1024_299712k.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Alternative histories can be instructive - if for no other reason than they reinforce the importance at inflections in time which leaders hold the levers of power. "The Big Man Theory" is not a parlor game, it is how the world works.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Usually, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;field-keywords=alternative%20histories&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;tag=cdrsalamander-20&amp;url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;linkId=ERLB6YSHHQ5XNEBE">alternative histories</a> in the second decade of the 21st Century involve either the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0812977211/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0812977211&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=cdrsalamander-20&amp;linkId=W74SFZ4BTTO3B77K">WWII</a> era or the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;field-keywords=alternative%20histories%20civil%20war&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aalternative%20histories%20civil%20war&amp;tag=cdrsalamander-20&amp;url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;linkId=33DB4447PAZMXJL3">US Civil War</a>. Let's flop that a bit and instead play it a little closer.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Run our own little wargame where at certain decision points, as a nation, we:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">- Did not let a vacuum exist where Iran and her lead proxy Hezbollah did not have the white space to step in to preserve the Assad regime in Syria, and instead Russia took that point instead; keeping Iran and her proxies out. Better yet - before the Islamic State grew from just another militia, some other power became the lead anti-Assad force, or none did. As a result, Assad crushed his opposition before the death toll went in to six figures? Bloody civil war as all are and it would not be pretty - but an Assad in power would be a status-quo outcome, but not a raging medieval nightmare spreading a violence of slit-trench executions and barrel bombs that we have now.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">- What if we actively went after the arms shipments to the Yemeni Shia rebels early and with vigor, and helped keep them to just a small threat in the mountains? No combined Sunni Arab army massed to slaughter a Shia rebellion wholesale. Not another ink-spot of growing Iranian influence.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">- What if instead of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quds_Force">Quds Force</a> commander Major General Qasem Soleimani being turned in to a hero in al-Anbar, he was killed by some roadside bomb on in an helicopter crash along with a batch of Iraqi Shia death squad leaders?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">- What if we joined in supporting the Sunni Arab nations and Europe to push for harder sanctions on Iran, as opposed to having the USA take the Iranian position on the way to getting a nuclear weapon?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, sometimes that isn't the way history turns in a representative republic. You vote for a world view, and you get it <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/as-sectarian-chaos-spreads-obamas-middle-east-policy-buckles/2015/03/28/f8cc8f56-d570-11e4-a62f-ee745911a4ff_story.html?tid=hpModule_ba0d4c2a-86a2-11e2-9d71-f0feafdd1394&amp;hpid=z12">good and hard</a>.</span><br /><blockquote>Ret. Marine Gen. James Mattis, who oversaw U.S. forces in the Middle East from 2010 to 2013, was among the most insistent voices inside the military pushing for a policy focused on punishing Iran and its proxies.<br /><br />Mattis lobbied for more interdictions of ships and planes carrying Iranian arms to battlefields such as Yemen and Syria, said former defense officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss policy deliberations. And Mattis pressed for more covert actions to capture or kill Iranian operatives, especially after the foiled 2011 plot by Iran to kill the Saudi ambassador at a Washington restaurant.<br /><br />The former defense officials said plans to punish Tehran were often sidelined over concerns that they could disrupt negotiations to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.<br /><br />“The Iranians showed that they could intervene everywhere even as they were negotiating on the nuclear issue,” said Ilan Goldenberg, who served as the Iran Team Chief in the Pentagon. Mattis’s pressing on the issue caused him to fall out of favor with the White House and ultimately led to his leaving command early, the former defense officials said.</blockquote><a href="http://www.duffelblog.com/2013/12/general-mattis-crosses-potomac-100000-troops-president-senate-flee-city/">Sigh</a>.CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-7190996264594635012015-03-29T20:24:00.003-04:002015-03-29T20:25:22.549-04:00Partnership, Influence, Presence and the role of the MSC, with Chris Rawley - on Midrats<a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4241022753_29fdf39625_o.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4241022753_29fdf39625_o.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 184px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 216px;" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This week we will return to the “unsexy but important” topic, specifically that of “alternative naval platforms and missions.”</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In part, the concepts that underlay Jerry Hendrix’s “Influence Squadrons” are in practice on a smaller scale today. In most cases they are being conducted using Military Sealift Command assets and the Navy Reserve.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">To focus on this part of our maritime power, our guest for the full hour this <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/midrats/2015/03/29/episode-273-partnership-influence-presence-and-the-role-of-the-msc">Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern</a> will be Commander Chris Rawley, USNR.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">President of Periplus Holdings in his day job, he is also Commanding Officer of the Military Sealift Command Afloat Mission Command and Control Units in the Navy Reserve, in addition to being Vice President of the Center for International Maritime Security.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/midrats/2015/03/29/episode-273-partnership-influence-presence-and-the-role-of-the-msc">Join us live</a> if you can with the usual suspects in the chat room and offer up your questions for our guest, but i<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">f you miss the show you can always listen to the </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/midrats/">archive at blogtalkradio</a>.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></span></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">If you use iTunes, you can add Midrats to your podcast list simply by clicking the <a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=910023979">iTunes button</a> at the <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/midrats">main showpage</a>&nbsp;- or you can just <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/midrats/id910023979?mt=2">click here</a></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">.</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <br /><center><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.adobe.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="270" id="100043" name="100043" width="210"><param name="movie" value="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf?file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fmidrats%2Fplay_list.xml%3Fitemcount%3D5&autostart=false&bufferlength=5&volume=80&corner=rounded&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/flashplayercallback.aspx" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf" flashvars="file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2fmidrats%2fplay_list.xml%3Fitemcount%3D5&autostart=false&shuffle=false&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/FlashPlayerCallback.aspx&width=210&height=270&volume=80&corner=rounded" width="210" height="270" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" wmode="transparent" menu="false" name="100043" id="100043" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 220px;">Listen to <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/">internet radio</a> with <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/midrats">Midrats</a> on Blog Talk Radio</div></center><hr /><br />CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-43823346477658261702015-03-27T08:35:00.001-04:002015-03-27T09:31:13.074-04:00Fullbore Friday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TwKOSLtLON0/VRVN15ySB6I/AAAAAAAAJa4/NJqpriN2xOc/s1600/150325_ayaan_hirsi_ali_gty_1160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TwKOSLtLON0/VRVN15ySB6I/AAAAAAAAJa4/NJqpriN2xOc/s1600/150325_ayaan_hirsi_ali_gty_1160.jpg" height="173" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">One way to know that someone is Fullbore? Well, for starters, they have their own tag at CDRSalamander.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">For well over a decade I have seen Ayaan Hirsi Ali for exactly what she is; a hero to the West and the ideals of The Enlightenment.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Strong, fearless and direct - there is no better advocate for the freedoms that the West takes for granted, and few better at describing the true nature of the fringes that threaten modernity, human rights, and the progress of our civilization.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/03/ayaan-hirsi-ali-a-hero-for-our-time-116404.html#.VRVKhZPF9BA">Rich Lowry has a great primer</a> for those who aren't fully up to speed on who Ayaan is and what she stands for. Read it all, but here is a taste;</span><br /><blockquote>Ayaan Hirsi Ali should be the perfect feminist hero. Viewed from a certain level of abstraction, it is hard to imagine one person who fits the role on so many levels: She’s an escapee — literally — from an abusive patriarchy. She’s an African immigrant who made her own way in a Western country, the Netherlands, starting from nothing. She’s a fierce advocate for women’s rights. She’s a target for deadly violence by angry men who want to shut her up. She left her religion and became a scourge of its repressive practices.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>All this — her searing personal experience, her Third World background, her secularism — would seem fit to make her a rock star of contemporary feminism. Except for the blemish on her record: Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a dissident from the wrong religion.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Yes, that is the great irony of all this. She is despised by the left because she pushes back at the force that is most aligned with the self-loathing towards their own society as the left - radical Islam.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">As it is with much of the left, the most important thing for them is to feed that which helps prop up the left's cultural masochism, and destroy those who try to get them to tell light from dark. </span><br /><blockquote>When all respectable people nod sagely at the cliché that Islam is a “religion of peace,” she says, “No, it’s not.” When all respectable people — and many discreditable ones — recoil and insist, “You can’t say that,” she says, “Yes, you can.”&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>Our society, and especially the left, tends to reflexively celebrate dissenters. But some heretics are more welcome than others. In the case of Islam, the pieties of multiculturalism clash with what should be an imperative of feminism (i.e., forcefully standing up for the basic rights of women in Muslim societies), and feminism tends to lose out.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>“The concern,” as one feminist wrote of Hirsi Ali, “is that her intervention into the issue of gender equality in Muslim societies will strengthen racism rather than weaken sexism.” In the fashionable neologism designed to be an all-purpose conversation-stopper, she is “an Islamophobe.” Brandeis University notoriously rescinded a planned honorary degree for her last year, and the Muslim Students Association at the school huffed, “she incites and supports insensitivity and irresponsibility.”</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">That great stew of cognitive dissonance, hypocrisy, and a need to feel superior to the comfort purchased by others that nurtured you ... yep, that's our left.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In her life, she survived multiple times things that would crush lesser men and women ... yet she thrives ... and she keeps up the fight for the one light left on this planet; the fruits of The Enlightenment.</span><br /><blockquote>Hirsi Ali recalls the dissidents from communism in the 20th century like the great Whittaker Chambers. Their personal experience redoubled their commitment to the fight for freedom and human dignity. They, too, were often dismissed as fanatics and as embarrassments to polite opinion. But their intellectual contributions, and the examples of their own bravery, were indispensable in the long ideological struggle.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>Ayaan Hirsi Ali is not just a heretic; she is also a believer. She has more confidence in Western civilization and its values than people who have never had to live outside it, or face down the enemies who want to destroy it. If she doesn’t get the recognition she deserves, so much the worse for her detractors.</blockquote>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-74820418085847354002015-03-26T07:50:00.002-04:002015-03-26T22:05:54.074-04:00What if we gave a war and everyone came<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tjxhQ_EycBQ/VRNtig-m3GI/AAAAAAAAJak/BfxsocGI8OU/s1600/_80718787_kobane8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tjxhQ_EycBQ/VRNtig-m3GI/AAAAAAAAJak/BfxsocGI8OU/s1600/_80718787_kobane8.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The Middle East sure is a <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/03/25/everything-the-white-house-told-you-about-bowe-bergdahl-was-wrong.html?via=desktop&amp;source=twitter">dog's breakfast</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The last few years have seen a victory squandered in Iraq that is now soaked in blood again.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Syria is to a point that all one can expect is for it to be bled to still a lighter shade of pale.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Lebanon is, well, from worse to more worse.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Israel has won the Golan Heights argument for the next few generations, will keep building in the West Bank, and is still the jewel of that part of the world - but is having a bad relationship on a personal level with its benefactor.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Jordan is being held together by duct tape, bailing wire, and the best Arab leader of this generation.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Saudi Arabia is all over the place and decided yesterday to <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_UNITED_STATES_YEMEN?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2015-03-25-19-49-42">invade Yemen</a> again to kill Shia. Looks like they are leading a Sunni coalition of the spanking with fighter jets from Jordan, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain. Yesterday saw Egypt and Pakistan stating they are in.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Interesting. As I've stated before, only someone who understands the plot lines of <i>Game of Thrones</i> will be able to explain how to the north of Saudi Arabia that in conjunction with Sunni partners we support Iranian proxies and Iranian-actuals to kill Sunni, and then to the south of Saudi Arabia we have those same Sunni partners who are at war with Iranian proxies.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Someone needs some quality time on the white-board to diagram it. I understand it in my head, but for the life of me I can't explain it in under 5,000 words and five diagrams.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Oman is &nbsp;... well Omanish - we can call that a draw along with Morocco and Algeria.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Yemen ... check your news feed on this proxy to not-so-proxy Sunni-Shia conflict, as I am sure my few words above did not help at all.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Egypt is back under the only thing that works there - a military dictatorship.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Tunisia is trying to pretend it is a suburb of Caan ... but is infected with Islamic fundamentalists who have the morality of Thulsa Doom.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Libya is Madmaxistan.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The only nation doing well is ... the Islamic Republic of Iran ... with whom we are are now acting as their tactical air force. Aloha snackbar ... or something like that. Let's make nose-art out of it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The future? At best, we cull the herd and let the scavengers fight over the remains of the Islamic State. Even if the Islamic State is defeated, thousands of radicalized young fighters who survive will return home to France, Germany, Britain, Australia and the USA. They will not come home in peace.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">What to do about Iran? We missed that boat when we abandoned the Green Revolution years ago.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Long war ... a very long war.</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NQ0d6J2xCzg?rel=0" width="640"></iframe>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-30449883823063051332015-03-25T23:57:00.002-04:002015-03-26T07:42:53.567-04:00What nasty name do you want to call me?<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm sorry, but I have to comment on this - but I am not sure how to do it in today's political climate.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Do I make a lazy, sexist ... yet quasi <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYcsW48HHXM">accurate</a> comment about "<a href="https://youtu.be/adD7lKvIx8Y">women drivers</a>"? No, <a href="https://youtu.be/QTcFb-0USP8">sexist</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Do I make a cynical comment about, "<i>What do you expect from the Representative of DC</i>?" No, some <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/03/12/1284076/-Ryan-says-men-in-inner-cities-aren-t-even-thinking-about-working">drone</a> will make that <a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2015/03/25/hm-jon-stewart-scolds-democrats-for-using-the-race-card-every-7-seconds/">racist</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Do I make a rather easy, "<i>Typical Democrat</i>." swipe? No, too partisan.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Do I make a plant the flag, "<i>A perfect demonstration of the attitude that rules, consideration, and generally responsible behavior is for little people</i>." </span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Yes, that is it ... though all four are accurate in their own way. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, call me a name - it seems to be a thing the scolds <a href="http://www.torontosun.com/2015/03/24/top-gear-host-jeremy-clarkson-to-be-fired-by-bbc-report">like to do</a> when someone is trying to laugh at life.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm sorry I didn't give you a chance to call me homophobic ... though I'm sure you can find some way if you just imagine hard enough.</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z7Ym-kk1tRw?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /><hr /><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">On the other opposite side of the equation ... I just fell in love with Leona Chin.</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WaAu4L2cl4c?rel=0" width="640"></iframe>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-68418912529516209702015-03-25T06:54:00.002-04:002015-03-25T06:58:05.314-04:00The Body Count as Datapoint<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Body counts are a useless metric by themselves. They should never be a primary metric, but they are useful in showing if nothing else the breadth and depth of conflict.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In the Briefing section on the Islamic State, <a href="http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21646752-sustaining-caliphate-turns-out-be-much-harder-declaring-one-islamic-state-not">The Economist</a> has, as they often do, a graph that tells a story in a way 5,000 words cannot. It answers questions, as well as offers new ones. It is open to a variety of interpretations, sure, but that is not the point.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">People are entitled to their opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">For review:</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NI22-GuBXhQ/VRInL6e8llI/AAAAAAAAJaQ/BkcE0FZI4Dg/s1600/20150321_FBC546.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NI22-GuBXhQ/VRInL6e8llI/AAAAAAAAJaQ/BkcE0FZI4Dg/s640/20150321_FBC546.png" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Though their article is on the fragility and weakness of the Islamic State, there is another story in the above graph, one I want to revisit.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It tells a story that some don't like to hear - but needs to be repeated as this is the actual history as I saw it, the first part first hand.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1. Withdraw of forces in Iraq began under Bush43 in late 2007 with the success of the surge, just as we were halfway through designing the upcoming uplift of forces in Afghanistan.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">2. With a firm victory in Iraq in the late-summer and early fall of '08, the death toll was at a steady low pace as we worked towards what the military wanted, a low five-figure force in place to ensure a properly secure environment until the Iraqi government was fully ready to defend itself. Then the zero-option took place. Shortly after, the slow buildup of death began again, and 24 months later we were off to a death level not seen in half a decade.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">3. They Syrian civil war, right across the border, started its blood soaked path almost a year prior to our IRQ zero-option. A risk we wished away.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">4. This Islamic State inspired and related killing is not going to stop any time soon, indeed, from Nigeria, to Libya to Yemen ... one could argue that it has only started.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This is President Obama's challenge to fix or let fester.</span>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-67929927724748096582015-03-24T07:10:00.003-04:002015-03-24T07:16:41.861-04:00Politics of the Narrative does not Work Well Internationally<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LAQ0XNhjG7U/VRDKtA1NugI/AAAAAAAAJZ4/LOqTmnYfz6k/s1600/all-is-well-o.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LAQ0XNhjG7U/VRDKtA1NugI/AAAAAAAAJZ4/LOqTmnYfz6k/s1600/all-is-well-o.gif" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Adult leaders of adult nations speak clearly about what is happening in the world.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We try to teach out children, heck our Sailors, one fundamental; if you make a mistake, own up to it. If you get something wrong, it is better to admit it early than to double down or hide. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Then again, you have the rule of some politicians; never apologize, never admit a mistake. ... and we wonder where the kids get their ideas ...</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This habit on the world stage can get dangerous. No one is perfect, the world gets a vote, and human beings have a tendency to do what they want regardless of what you will them to do. Well meaning people will cut you some slack.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">They key to remaining credible and to ensure the right intellectual effort is going towards making the best of a changing situation is to ... gird your loins ... admit mistakes and move forward.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">First;</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IqsnaPDhcwM?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I will grant you that Yemen is a success, in a fashion, if your goal is to increase Iranian influence - which Administration is doing quite grandly in Iraq and Syria - then sure, it is a great success. If not, well ...</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now, let's look at where we are in the White House this week;</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wa7Im3bkaH0?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">... and the truth on the ground;</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K_Nd7rD2y3k?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, where does that leave us? The late night cynic in me sees an administration that is relying a lot on hope and in a large measure are trying to run out the clock on hard decisions so the next President will have to the dirty work.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I don't know if you can run out the clock on this wreck of a foreign policy in the Middle East - but one thing is for sure, we're about to find out.</span>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-40183971895199233482015-03-23T07:23:00.003-04:002015-03-23T07:23:51.984-04:00Keeping an Eye on the Long Game: Part LXIII<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4ZJ8GlU-AN8/VQ_3l6dfqNI/AAAAAAAAJZk/RtFaTQPiVbU/s1600/fire_1633927f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4ZJ8GlU-AN8/VQ_3l6dfqNI/AAAAAAAAJZk/RtFaTQPiVbU/s1600/fire_1633927f.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">At a time when many discussions about China tend to be of a worrisome type, emphasizing China's positives while ignoring her challenges, <a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/03/19/china-navy-pla-uighurs-xinjiang/">Dan Blumenthal over at FP</a> has a solid article out which gives a little more depth to what China is.</span><br /><blockquote>the easy days are over. Resources are shrinking. The situation is Xinjiang is getting worse. And an anti-corruption campaign announced by CCP secretary Xi Jinping shortly after he took office in November 2012 is starting to pick up steam in the military. Meanwhile, China’s land borders no longer appear as secure, as terrorists infiltrate China from South and Central Asia. For the first time since the Cold War, the PLA faces a real set of tough strategic and investment trade-offs and challenges to its weapons program development.<br /><br />First, China’s fiscal situation is under severe strain. Its debt burden increased from $7 trillion in 2007 to $28 trillion in mid-2014, while Chinese national wealth has only increased by $5 trillion since mid-2008. As my colleague Derek Scissors argued in a November essay, “Chinese growth since 2008 has been built entirely on sand.” China is also aging rapidly: its labor force shrunk by 2.44 million in 2013, and by a whopping 3.71 million in 2014. Moreover, its gross domestic product grew at only 7.4 percent in 2014 — a 24-year low — and Beijing is aiming for around 7 percent for 2015. The current economic slowdown could potentially derail the PLA’s gravy train. Its military budget will have to align with China’s fiscal realities. The CCP will have to meet pension obligations to retirees and try and service the debt.<br /><br />Second, Xi’s anti-corruption campaign is going after PLA elites. In early March, the PLA announced that 14 more of its generals were targeted in the anti-corruption crackdown. And in October, Beijing indicted Xu Caihou, a former vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, the body that oversees the PLA, on bribery charges. Xu, who died last week, was the highest military official in decades to be publicly accused of corruption.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">A wounded and slightly paranoid China is not necessarily for us a better China - but it is one that in the near future may be more inwardly focused than one externally focused.</span>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-26393541037516347272015-03-22T10:25:00.001-04:002015-03-22T10:25:41.203-04:00The Intellectual Responsibilities of the Naval Professional with Will Beasley - on Midrats<a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4241022753_29fdf39625_o.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4241022753_29fdf39625_o.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 184px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 216px;" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">What are the intellectual responsibilities of the naval professional? What is the canon sound thought in the maritime realm is based?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Historically, what has been done, what has worked, and what should we be doing? Should the naval professional just focus on his narrow area of expertise, or does he need to have a more interdisciplinary approach to his intellectual development?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Our guest this <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/midrats/2015/03/22/episode-272-naval-professionalism-up-down-and-back-again--with-will-beasley">Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern</a> to discuss this and more will be William M. Beasley, Jr., associate attorney with Phelps Dunbar, LLP in Mississippi. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Mississippi with a BA and MA in history where his graduate thesis examined the impact of popular culture, inter-service rivalry, civil-military relations, strategic planning, and defense unification on the "Revolt of the Admirals" of 1949.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Mr. Beasley received his JD from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where he served on the editorial board of the Mississippi Law Journal. Prior to joining Phelps Dunbar, Mr. Beasley worked as a research consultant with the Potomac Institute in Arlington, Virginia. He is a member of the <a href="http://cimsec.org/">Center for International Maritime Security</a> (CIMSEC) and his work on maritime history and security has appeared in <a href="http://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings">Proceedings</a>, <a href="http://www.thestrategybridge.com/">The Strategy Bridge</a>, and <a href="http://blog.usni.org/">USNI Blog</a>.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/midrats/2015/03/22/episode-272-naval-professionalism-up-down-and-back-again--with-will-beasley">Join us live</a> if you can with the usual suspects in the chat room and offer up your questions for our guest, but i<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">f you miss the show you can always listen to the </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/midrats/">archive at blogtalkradio</a>.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></span></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">If you use iTunes, you can add Midrats to your podcast list simply by clicking the <a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=910023979">iTunes button</a> at the <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/midrats">main showpage</a>&nbsp;- or you can just <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/midrats/id910023979?mt=2">click here</a></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">.</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <br /><center><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.adobe.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="270" id="100043" name="100043" width="210"><param name="movie" value="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf?file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fmidrats%2Fplay_list.xml%3Fitemcount%3D5&autostart=false&bufferlength=5&volume=80&corner=rounded&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/flashplayercallback.aspx" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf" flashvars="file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2fmidrats%2fplay_list.xml%3Fitemcount%3D5&autostart=false&shuffle=false&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/FlashPlayerCallback.aspx&width=210&height=270&volume=80&corner=rounded" width="210" height="270" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" wmode="transparent" menu="false" name="100043" id="100043" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 220px;">Listen to <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/">internet radio</a> with <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/midrats">Midrats</a> on Blog Talk Radio</div></center><hr /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>UPDATE:</b> Forgot to mention that you should also get BJ's first book if you have not already, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1612512437/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1612512437&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=cdrsalamander-20&amp;linkId=BD53KQUO2IDJOBGA">21st Century Mahan: Sound Military Conclusions for the Modern Era</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=cdrsalamander-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1612512437" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />.</span>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-22515047511828298122015-03-20T07:51:00.002-04:002015-03-20T13:25:10.639-04:00Fullbore Friday<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Almost a year ago we had a FbF about a true Shipmate. I wanted to bring it back as we now have the official report via our <a href="http://news.usni.org/2015/03/18/document-report-into-fatal-shooting-2014-on-destroyer-mahan?utm_source=USNI+News&amp;utm_campaign=de94eb8ad7-USNI_NEWS_DAILY&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_0dd4a1450b-de94eb8ad7-230370001&amp;mc_cid=de94eb8ad7&amp;mc_eid=ddff874bf3">friends at USNI News</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm going to republish what I put out a year ago, then go to the bottom and read the VCNO's endorsement. Lots to ponder there, and in honor of Perry Officer Mayo, you should give it a read.</span><br /><hr /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4hf-CRLxgLo/UzTjvaOFojI/AAAAAAAAIEA/ipwhck5s4AI/s1600/Killed-Sailor-from-USS-Mahan-Shooting-Identified-495x278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4hf-CRLxgLo/UzTjvaOFojI/AAAAAAAAIEA/ipwhck5s4AI/s320/Killed-Sailor-from-USS-Mahan-Shooting-Identified-495x278.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In port.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Just another watch on the pier.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Tic. Toc. Yawn. It's 23:20. Watch is almost over.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thing is, there is no such thing as a normal watch. You never know when the call comes. You don't even have to be at sea. You don't even have to be overseas. You can just be at the largest naval base in the world in your own nation.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">When in a moment things can turn from boredom to the point where character, instinct and training take over. The first, is the most important - the rest only support it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">MA2 Class Mark Mayo, USN. Fullbore Shipmate; <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/navy-searches-answers-fatal-base-shooting-23061146">fullbore</a>.</span><br /><blockquote>(the shooter) parked his tractor-trailer cab near Pier 1, was able to walk onto the pier and began heading up a ramp toward the USS Mahan when he was confronted by Navy security, said Mario Palomino, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service special agent in charge of the Norfolk field office.<br /><br />The man then got into an altercation with a female petty officer and disarmed her, Navy officials said. Palomino said Mayo stepped over the disarmed officer and fired his weapon at the assailant. He was serving on watch for the installation that night and came to help once he saw the civilian board the ship.<br /><br />Multiple pistol rounds were fired between the gunman and Navy security forces responding to the scene, Palomino said. The Navy has said previously that the truck driver fired the shot that killed Mayo.<br /><br />The base's commanding officer, Capt. Robert Clark, said Mayo's actions to protect the disarmed officer (sic) were extraordinary.<br /><br />""He basically gave his life for hers," said Clark said during a news conference.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Ship, shipmate, self? Yep; it means exactly <a href="http://wavy.com/2014/03/27/navy-sources-identify-mahan-shooting-suspect/">what it says</a>.</span><br /><blockquote>MA2 Mayo enlisted in the U.S. Navy in October 2007 and began working in Norfolk in May 2011.<br /><br />“Petty Officer Mayo’s actions on Monday evening were nothing less than heroic. He selflessly gave his own life to ensure the safety of the Sailors on board USS Mahan (DDG 72),” said Capt. Robert E. Clark, Jr., commanding officer, Naval Station Norfolk.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">There is more background at the above links and <a href="http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2014/03/25/two-killed-in-shooting-at-naval-station-norfolk/">here</a> about the shooter that I really don't want to cover here. There is plenty of time later for that and what lessons we can take away from it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I have my opinions, but not here, not today.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Petty Officer Mayo, well done.</span><br /><hr /><div style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto;"><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/259163530" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View 259089347 USS Mahan Shooting Report on Scribd">259089347 USS Mahan Shooting Report</a></div><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="undefined" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_49035" scrolling="no" src="https://www.scribd.com/embeds/259163530/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;show_recommendations=true" width="100%"></iframe>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-81051203351698983602015-03-20T07:34:00.000-04:002015-03-20T07:34:18.535-04:00Petraeus and Salamander on Iraq: in full alignment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CmU19Ha_vmE/VQwFZMAzCyI/AAAAAAAAJZQ/opF5eXILEH4/s1600/get-article-image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CmU19Ha_vmE/VQwFZMAzCyI/AAAAAAAAJZQ/opF5eXILEH4/s1600/get-article-image.jpeg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Yes, yes, yes ... haters can keep those comments to themselves. I expect perfection of no one, as I sure can't deliver it myself.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">With that one, and last disclaimer, I think I will move on and speak no more of it.</span><br /><hr /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Petraeus is back in Iraq.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The wonderfully named <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/03/20/petraeus-the-islamic-state-isnt-our-biggest-problem-in-iraq/">Liz Sly over at WaPo</a> has an interview with the retired General while he was attending The Sulaimani Forum at the American University of Sulaimaniya in Iraqi Kurdistan.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In it, he describes how we got where we are in Iraq exactly as I saw it, how I see it and how I believe history will judge it.</span><br /><blockquote>The proximate cause of Iraq’s unraveling was the increasing authoritarian, sectarian and corrupt conduct of the Iraqi government and its leader after the departure of the last U.S. combat forces in 2011. The actions of the Iraqi prime minister undid the major accomplishment of the Surge. (They) alienated the Iraqi Sunnis and once again created in the Sunni areas fertile fields for the planting of the seeds of extremism, essentially opening the door to the takeover of the Islamic State. Some may contend that all of this was inevitable. Iraq was bound to fail, they will argue, because of the inherently sectarian character of the Iraqi people. I don’t agree with that assessment.<br /><br />The tragedy is that political leaders failed so badly at delivering what Iraqis clearly wanted — and for that, a great deal of responsibility lies with Prime Minister Maliki.<br /><br />As for the U.S. role, could all of this have been averted if we had kept 10,000 troops here? I honestly don't know. I certainly wish we could have tested the proposition and kept a substantial force on the ground.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It is worth your time; read it all.</span>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-17480766694398556712015-03-19T08:34:00.000-04:002015-03-19T13:46:09.238-04:00Diversity Thursday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d2t_ZXijBiQ/VQrC50KSlrI/AAAAAAAAJY8/GUrJzku6Y7I/s1600/hippie.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d2t_ZXijBiQ/VQrC50KSlrI/AAAAAAAAJY8/GUrJzku6Y7I/s1600/hippie.jpeg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If one must think of Woman's History Month, I like to think of Mama Salamander. Honors graduate in Math. Trailblazer for women in the computer industry, mother, entrepreneur and never ... never one to suffer fools or fads.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">A misogynistic, woman hating, male chauvinist pig would be harder pressed to create an event that tee'd up an "I told you so" ball better than what I am about to share below - and about as contra-Mama Salamander as you can get. (<i>think of Mama Salamander as a slightly younger Grace Hopper ... if Grace Hopper was also a model as a side job</i>)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">As someone who from MIDN days supported women serving wherever they physically and realistically could, this torques me off, as it gives the "I told you so" crowd all the negative stereotype fodder they need.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Of what do I speak? Well, if you haven't eaten yet - you may want to hold off. If you have a spray shield for your computer, you may want to go get it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">First, NAVAIR ... you own this. All of it, so just soak it in.</span><br /><blockquote>-----Original Message-----<br />From: TOTALFORCE_HR_NEWS<br />Sent: Monday, February 23, 2015 2:37 PM<br />Subject: Women's History Month event, 3 March<br /><br />All hands,<br />Celebrate Women's History Month on 3 March featuring LeeAnn Mallorie, founder and CEO of Leading in Motion, who will address "Leadership Sustainability." Ms. Mallorie specializes in coaching, personal development, leadership training and organizational change. This event is jointly sponsored by NAVAIR's Women's Advisory Group and Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Office.<br />EVENT DETAILS:<br />Date: Tuesday, 3 March 2015<br />Times:<br />-- 1000-1130 (main event: "Sustainable Leadership")<br />-- 1230-1345 Breakout Session 1 ("Increasing and Managing Your Energy")<br />-- 1400-1515 Breakout Session 2 ("Emotion and Stress Management")<br />Location: River's Edge Conference Center, Patuxent River, and via video teleconference<br />Flyer: https://mynavair.navair.navy.mil/links/WAGFlyerEastCoast<br />REGISTRATION INFORMATION:<br />Note: Each program segment requires separate registration.<br />-- Visit https://navairu.navair.navy.mil . (Note: You must have a NAVAIR University account to register. If you do not have an account, follow the instructions below.)<br />-- Click on the "Classes" tab on the top menu bar.<br />-- Enter "CISL-EVT-0101" in the search field and click the blue search button.<br />-- Click on "Register" in the register column for the session you wish to attend.<br />-- Click the "Yes" button to enroll in the event.<br />Course numbers and titles:<br />-- CISL-EVT-0101 - Women's History Month -MAIN EVENT<br />-- CISL-EVT-0102 - Increasing &amp; Managing Energy<br />-- CISL-EVT-0103 - Emotion &amp; Stress Management<br />NAVAIRU REGISTRATION INFORMATION:<br />-- Visit https://navairu.navair.navy.mil .<br />-- Select "Register" in the upper left corner of the screen.<br />-- Complete all fields, and click the save button.<br />If you are unable to register in NAVAIRU, email [redacted]@navy.mil and list sessions attending.<br />Thank you,<br />Total Force Strategy &amp; Management Department</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I guess that comes under the category of <a href="http://leeannmallorie.com/conference-weaving-group-energizers/">Conference Weaving &amp; Group Energizers</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Oh, I don't know if I can really do this ... but, sigh, if not me, who? If not now, when? Let's go.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">NAVAIR is a fairly technical organization. We can all agree on that I hope. Nothing in life is free. Especially&nbsp;for events&nbsp;like this. In an era where every other speech by senior leadership squeals about sequestration, one would expect all organizations to be very careful how funds are used. After all, it is hard to cry poverty when you are spending $20 on popcorn at the movie theater every weekend.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, with that set - what is the mindset NAVAIR wants its very technical force to have? Especially their female cadre? What tools are they giving them to compete?&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">What does LeeAnn <a href="http://leeannmallorie.com/about/">believe</a>?</span><br /><blockquote>I believe in GUT-FEELING and intuition. I believe that MUSIC &amp; MOVEMENT can unlock the soul. I believe that ILLNESS is a wake-up call. I believe in SIMPLICITY. I believe in RADICAL SELF-CARE. I believe experts don’t always know BEST.<br /><br />I believe in PLAY… that our life depends on it. I believe in BOTH-AND. I believe our INTENTION affects our destiny. I believe that our PRESENCE is the ultimate gift. I believe we must FEEL in order to HEAL.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">That doesn't reinforce negative tropes ... nope ... not at all.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">LeeAnn has her fingers in all sorts of stuff. What else can she offer? We have "<a href="http://leeannmallorie.com/dancing-freedom/">Dancing Freedom</a>;"</span><br /><blockquote>Dancing Freedom is a global movement supporting liberation, community and leadership through the sacred medicine of dance. We are co-creating a global rEvolution, dancing towards a world in which all beings feel more at home, empowered, peaceful and free.<br /><br />Dancing Freedom blends conscious dance and the essence of medicine ceremony, taking you through an elemental wave of Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether. Each Dancing Freedom class provides a safe and dynamic space to explore your own body sensations and emotions, while connecting with whole group consciousness. The ceremony begins with a powerful prayer for your life, and ends with a harvest circle where collective wisdom is shared.<br /><br />We believe that oneness includes everything, no exceptions. Therefore welcome all people to participate in the journey, from experienced dancers who want to deepen their practice to those who have never stepped foot on a dance floor.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">She can bring in her skills as a <a href="http://www.strozziinstitute.com/somatic+coaching+mastery">Somatic Coach</a>;</span><br /><blockquote>There are many perspectives on coaching today, yet rarely do you see a methodology that fully encompasses the totality of our humanness. Somatic Coaching is the discourse that represents this unity of the whole human being. A somatic perspective includes our thinking, feeling, emotions, and acting; this also accounts for our narratives and stories, our moods, and our energetic body. This comprehensive and integrated view is what sets the <a href="http://www.strozziinstitute.com/about/methodology">SI Somatic Methodology</a> apart from other styles and methods. While some systems may simply add the body as an element in their coaching curriculum, we treat the body as a fundamental place of change, learning, and transformation. We hold that the self and the body are indistinguishable and by working through the body we can directly work with the self. Working through the body at this level is Somatic Coaching. Through systemic, bodily intervention, transformation occurs. It is through this holistic coaching process that fundamental, sustainable change is possible on a level not achieved through most coaching modalities.<br /><br />Our narratives, belief systems, world views, bodily contractions, streamings, pulsations, and a yearning for that which is beyond the self all live in our soma. These experiences shape our mood, our actions, our perceptions, our way of being – and our bodies. Through the SI Somatic Methodology, coaches learn to observe the self in the body. With this skill, one can assess aspects of the self by observing the shape of the body. This is not body language; this is a skill that allows one to deeply and respectfully see who someone is. Our somatic shape, the shape of our self, produces possibilities and limitations. Through disorganizing the conditioned, historical shape we can re-shape ourselves into a more relaxed, confident, bold shape through which we can live our full potential. SI’s methodology offers the skills to bring forth this level of change for your clients.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">There have always been issues raised on the sexist nature of the PRT. Maybe LeeAnn would have some options we can look at in order to be more inclusive. She is really in to <a href="https://nianow.com/">Nia</a>, that could be a start.</span><br /><blockquote>Nia is the art of movement the body's way. Nia is a cardio-dance workout, a movement practice, and lifestyle based on the intelligent design of the body.<br /><br />We believe every person can discover, explore, unleash, and enhance their individual potential to live a healthy and meaningful life by engaging their senses and listening to their bodies.<br /><br />Nia Workout<br /><br />Nia tones your mind and tunes your body. Each workout brings mindfulness to your dance movement experience leaving you energized, mentally clear, and emotionally balanced.<br /><br />Nia cardio-dance workouts combine 52 simple moves with dance arts, martial arts, and healing arts to get you fit in 60 minutes - body, mind, emotion, and spirit.<br /><br />Nia is practiced barefoot, non-impact, and adaptable to individual needs and abilities.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">There ain't no party like a NAVAIR dance party; mark it down as command PT.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I know, I know ... you must be asking yourself, "<i>Where does NAVAIR find its motivational speakers</i>?" Usually, you see one, you like them, and then you ask them to come speak to your people. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The City of Brotherly Love is just a day's drive from NAVAIR, isn't it? Perhaps someone met her at the <a href="http://www.lovemore.com/conferences/polyliving/poly-living-philadelphia-2014/pl-201-presenters/">2014 Poly Living Philadelphia Conference</a>. Did she bring this advice and perspective to NAVAIR. Goodness knows we need to make sure we access all the tools in the toolbox.</span><br /><blockquote>LeeAnn Mallorie recently moved to Philadelphia to pursue her first love: building authentic communities through the power of dance. For the past ten years, she has trained with Bay Area conscious dancers, martial artists, sound healers, shamans, coaches, somatic therapists, body workers and musicians, while boldly disseminating their cutting edge work to the rest of the world. LeeAnn believes that intimate relationships are a path to personal transformation. Walking her talk, she followed the thread of her parents failed marriage and her own series of tumultuous monogamous relationships, through the barriers of social convention, to the joy of loving openly. She has been in a creative and open relationship with her partner, Jorge Cortez since February of 2013, when her sexuality cracked open while studying the practice of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Orgasmic+Meditation">Orgasmic Meditation</a>. </blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">OK, that is an interesting form of meditation. Are there practical exercises, vignettes, and possibly workshops? I have no idea. If you are interested in more, <a href="http://www.salon.com/2014/03/26/orgasmic_meditation_the_latest_craze_for_a_holistic_sexual_awakening_partner/">Salon.com has a primer</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Even better, visualize this at NAVAIR ... not that there is anything wrong with it, though LeeAnn seems a bit heteronormative in her practice.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">One last bit. I am never one to want to take away someones honest living - no one owes you a job and you have to make your way in the world as best as you can.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">That doesn't mean that anyone is entitled to the money with your stamp on it though. If this is really what NAVAIR leadership thinks is best for their organization and what present Navy leadership wants, then so be it. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I do want to take a moment to emphasize a central tenet of DivThu: this is all about the $$$$. There are a lot of otherwise unemployable people who have invested tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in education that they have to find some way to monetize. LeeAnn is, in this respect, a hard driven and successful entrepreneur. Part of the Diversity Industry? <a href="http://www.culturalhi.com/our_team.html">You'bet'cha</a>;</span><br /><blockquote>Founder LeeAnn M. Mallorie has a passion for culture and a knack for supporting people in "ah-ha" breakthrough moments. LeeAnn completed her M.A. in Cultural Social Psychology at the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, focusing on bicultural identity negotiation among Chinese-American biculturals and inter-cultural communication v. conflict among U.S. majority/minority groups. She was trained in dialogue facilitation through the University of Michigan Program on Inter-group Relations and Conflict. She studied and worked abroad as a Princeton In Asia Fellow teaching EFL for ten months in rural Hunan, China. In addition to running the Cultural Horizions Institute, she currently works as a life coach, on-site facilitator and 360° feedback specialist at Learning as Leadership, a San Francisco based consulting firm. Her clients include NASA, Shell Oil, Sandia National Laboratories, Harvard Business School, and Artech Inc, Taiwan. LeeAnn is fluent in Mandarin, Chinese.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Fluent in Mandarin. What a waste. I'd rather have her in the N2 shop at PACFLT, but then again - knowing those guys, the last thing any of us need is seeing them dancing in yoga pants and going on an orgasmic meditation workshop retreat.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope all my NAVAIR bubbas had a chance to go ... for goodness sake, you don't want to miss a chance to explore your, what do you call it, </span><br /><blockquote>"Our narratives, belief systems, world views, bodily contractions, streamings, pulsations, and a yearning for that which is beyond the self ..."</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Yeah, that. Take your local ABHC.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">As you watch the two video below ... which I know you will as your tax dollars are paying for this ... think about all that sequester talk ... and think of your happy place.</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V0LAxZDct1E?rel=0" width="480"></iframe><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">... and yes, this new age snake oil as about as non-diverse as anything I have seen in a long time.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm a giver ... so I give. Behold URR and MTH's next girlfriends having a chat.</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EC3o8U7EhWI?rel=0" width="480"></iframe><br /><br /><br />Hat tip K.CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-16476623507803066242015-03-18T11:10:00.001-04:002015-03-20T18:42:44.676-04:00The Long Nasty Record of the Seduction by Short Splendid Wars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4U8qOToSw_I/VQjt9Iy5FbI/AAAAAAAAJYU/0QqlaNF40xQ/s1600/China-620x388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4U8qOToSw_I/VQjt9Iy5FbI/AAAAAAAAJYU/0QqlaNF40xQ/s320/China-620x388.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">As I am going through my pre-WWI reading arc (latest is Margaret MacMillan's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0812980662/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0812980662&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=cdrsalamander-20&amp;linkId=HFM22JMQSQZ5G64U">The War That Ended Peace: The Road to 1914</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=cdrsalamander-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0812980662" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />), what keeps coming to mind is the repeated failure throughout history of those of us in uniform to make sure that our civilian leaders understand the difference between "The Operational Art" as some like to call what is done in the "<a href="http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/pub1/chapter_1.pdf">Five</a>" part of the world, and the horribly named "Military Science."</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Some do warn, as happened in multiple nations prior to WWI, but these people are often marginalized by the politicians and politically minded uniformed leadership who only want happy stories that answer with what politicians want to hear, not what they need to hear. You get what you promote - in a fashion.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Take it from a Planner, if we include the right Assumptions and have a planning staff that is malleable enough, wecan create any plan they want to. Of course, plans never survive first contact with the enemy, but people dismiss that. People want something they can point to and say, "<i>Let's do this. Our top men have show how it can be done. <a href="https://youtu.be/yoy4_h7Pb3M">Our. Top. Men</a></i>."</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So many times in history, nations have stumbled in to war because a plan was written to match the aspirational goal of the politicians - in this case - the desire for a short war that won't excessively impact trade, commerce, election cycles, or pre-existing stockpiles.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">&nbsp;Sometimes because the plan itself was unrealistic and the assumptions too fragile - but more often than not it is that Goals and Endstates change at some point when you are already down a few lines of operation towards a different set of Goals and Endstates, etc. What was a modest little war gets carried away in to a broader war. Not a <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=3&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0CCsQFjAC&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dtic.mil%2Fcgi-bin%2FGetTRDoc%3FAD%3DADA483705&amp;ei=MJIJVZqdJsmUNpzTg9gG&amp;usg=AFQjCNHoXCDhLjONXx0fp2ZAc52B0XpdpA&amp;sig2=V8h1KFmbiUMWxbW9s9a1zw&amp;bvm=bv.88198703,d.eXY">Sequel</a> to a Plan, but a Plan that degenerates in to a grabassary of making it up as you go along (<i><a href="http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/57062/richard-k-betts/compromised-command">Wes Clark call your office</a>)</i>.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">For some reason, as I was reading about how sure the German General Staff was that the war would be short and decisive, I was thinking about the panel I watched Jim Holmes moderate at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWhwm4SJxTw">USNI West 14</a>, he wrote about it <a href="http://thediplomat.com/2014/03/of-course-the-pla-is-planning-for-a-short-sharp-war/">here</a>.</span><br /><blockquote>Enlightened opinion on this side of the Pacific Ocean evidently finds one of two things unfathomable: that Beijing is contemplating war, or that the People’s Liberation Army prefers to avoid a protracted test of arms should one prove unavoidable. Let’s take those possibilities in turn.<br /><br />First, what else should PLA strategists do than plan for a war to uphold what the political leadership obviously considers an important national interest? .... Armed services exist to furnish their political masters options in times of trouble. Thinking about the unthinkable — and doing advance legwork should statesmen deem the unthinkable thinkable — is what they do.<br /><br />Indeed, commanders commit malpractice if they fail at this basic function. <br />...<br />It’s also irresponsible for military leaders to game the strategy-making process, foreclosing certain options or pressing others on policymakers. That’s why proclaiming that one course of action is “the” solution to some politico-military dilemma or another is so problematic. If military commanders take a one-size-fits-all approach to complex problems, they hand policymakers a stark choice in wartime: select the only option on the table or do nothing. That amounts to the tool — the military — instructing the repairman — the president or prime minister — how to do his job.<br />...<br />In very broad terms, there are two strains in Chinese strategic culture. One favors protracted war, the other prizes quick, decisive victory. We can put Mao Zedong’s face on the former, Sun Tzu’s on the latter. But does China really prefer Maoist methods of protracted war? Does Beijing automatically string out armed conflicts? No. Even for Mao, conventional victory is the ultimate goal, protraction a mere expedient in situations where China starts off as the weaker combatant. There’s little reason to think the Great Helmsman relished the grind of irregular warfare and what-not.<br /><br />If China starts off as the stronger antagonist, then, why wouldn’t it take the swiftest and surest route to success? Sun Tzu warns that no protracted war ever benefits the state. Such conflicts sap the national treasury and other warmaking resources while leaving the state vulnerable to predatory neighbors — even in victory. That being the case, why not heed Sun Tzu’s wisdom if China is the stronger competitor in the East China Sea? Beijing is doubtless content to win through Sun Tzuian methods if it can.<br /><br />However execrable a statesman, Mao the war leader counseled sagely against letting strategic doctrinaires, or “chatterers,” dominate debates over strategic and operational questions. He professed a more supple approach contingent on relative strength. In this case, at least, it may be wise to listen to the man brandishing a Little Red Book. If Beijing confronts a united U.S.-Japan alliance, it may incline to the protracted approach. If the alliance shows fissures, suggesting that China can go mano-a-mano with a peer or weaker Japan, then Beijing may indulge its Sun Tzuian proclivities. It may strike suddenly, like a hawk — as the grand master advises.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If the Chinese fo make the mistake of being seduced in to running the odds on a "short splendid war" that draws the USA in, are we ready for that? Not materially - though that is a good question in itself - but intellectually? Do we have a clear view of the Chinese military of 2015?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">As <a href="http://thediplomat.com/2015/03/4-reasons-china-can-fight-a-modern-war/">Dingding Chen reminds us</a>; the modern Chinese Army isn't the waves of men in quilted jackets rolling over hills;</span><br /><blockquote>... resolve is absolutely critical. This factor has not been given adequate attention by military analysts when estimating the PLA’s ability to fight a war. If the PLA does enter a war, then it most likely will be a defensive war for China in areas near its borders. This is about defending China’s sovereignty and territories and this is fundamentally different from conquering others’ territories. Thus morale will be high. If history is any indication, the Korean War tells us that the weaker Chinese army could repel and defeat a stronger U.S. army. The fact that China then was fighting for its sovereign integrity is a key factor in explaining the defeat of the United States.<br /><br />In sum, the Chinese PLA can indeed fight a modern war regardless of its potential opponent. Whether the PLA can win a war is a different story as it depends on many different factors. The key point is not to only focus on the PLA’s material capabilities; instead we should examine the PLA’s morale and resolve, two factors that have so far not been seriously studied.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If their leadership is unwise enough to think, in a moment of weakness by others, that they can do a Crimea-like snatch-n-grab, or find a way to have a contained conflict, the potential for everyone to fall down in to that pit is a non-zero figure. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Combine that ever present planning-risk with, on our side, a significant <a href="http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2015/03/why_china_will_lose_the_war_it_is_planning.html">cadre of over-confidence</a> and, well ... it makes you ponder a bit about the darker side of history's patterns.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Somewhere, there are a few Chinese plans out there that promise a "splendid little war." Let's hope they get ignored.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I keep saying it, because it boils down to one of the few things I feel to be as true as can be in the military world: war is a dark room; you can see the door just fine, but you have no idea what you will find once you go inside - and you can't back out once you are in.</span>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-24486672148928914142015-03-17T23:25:00.003-04:002015-03-17T23:27:52.998-04:00About the Israeli Election ... <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm only going to say a very little.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, President Obama and his crowd decided to weigh in hard in the elections in another nation - and to personalize it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Anyone could, and someone probably did, tell them it was a bad idea.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Let's call that person Tim. <a href="http://www.jpost.com/Israel-Elections/Israeli-elections-take-dramatic-turn-as-Likud-opens-up-six-seat-lead-over-Zionist-Union-394271">Je suis Tim</a>.</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XcxKIJTb3Hg?rel=0" width="480"></iframe>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-74203584680975660982015-03-16T08:24:00.001-04:002015-03-16T08:24:21.150-04:00Has the Islamic State Forced a Change in Obama Policy in Syria and Afghanistan?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ryl5J_NJbtE/VQbFQojoDlI/AAAAAAAAJX0/HFYnW3AE6LE/s1600/kerry-assad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ryl5J_NJbtE/VQbFQojoDlI/AAAAAAAAJX0/HFYnW3AE6LE/s320/kerry-assad.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The weekend brought two bits of news/trial-balloons that indicate that the reality of the present situation is causing the ideological desire to decouple being put under critique inside the Obama Administration's lifelines.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">First in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/16/world/middleeast/kerry-suggests-there-is-a-place-for-assad-in-syria-talks.html?_r=0">Syria</a>; </span><br /><blockquote>Secretary of State John Kerry said in an interview broadcast Sunday that he still believed it was important to achieve a diplomatic solution for the conflict in Syria and that the negotiations should involve President Bashar al-Assad.<br /><br />“We are working very hard with other interested parties to see if we can reignite a diplomatic outcome,” Mr. Kerry said on the CBS show “Face the Nation.”<br /><br />“We have to negotiate in the end,” Mr. Kerry added.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Unless Kerry is off the reservation, that is a clear signal that the neo-realists in the administration - what few there are left - are on the accent. That is a good thing.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The Islamic State is by far the greatest threat in the area. Assad is the only power in Syria that can defeat the Islamic State in the balance of that nation's territory. Ironically, Assad is also the only power in that area is even close to respecting minority rights, women's rights, and generally can be worked with in a 21st context. Assad is not a "good guy" - not &nbsp;by a long shot - but he is the least horrible option in the area unless the United States wants to deploy 200,000 of its military and lose thousands dead. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">No, I didn't think so.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We can effectively forget red-lines and "<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/assad-must-go-obama-says/2011/08/18/gIQAelheOJ_story.html">Assad must go</a>" talk. Get rid of the Islamic State first, then we can have the luxury of a vanity based foreign policy. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Next to <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/report-us-slowing-afghanistan-withdrawal-313894">Afghanistan</a>; second thoughts at the last minute.</span><br /><blockquote>The United States has abandoned plans to cut the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan to 5,500 by year's end, the Associated Press reported on Saturday, but a senior U.S. official told Reuters no decision has been made.<br /><br />Many of the 9,800 U.S. troops currently in Afghanistan would probably remain well into next year, although no final decision on numbers had been made yet, AP reported, citing unnamed U.S. officials.<br /><br />President Barack Obama probably will use a Washington visit by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani this month to announce the new withdrawal timeline, AP said.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This may just be a delay of the inevitable, like the shift of the IRQ withdraw from the original date to the right a few years to placate those - who were right - that stated a zero-option was too risky. In the end they lost, but at least delayed the rise of the Islamic state by a couple of years.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Seeing Iran now fighting well inside Iraq, perhaps the Administration sees this truth; Iran of 2015 will not let the Shia Hazara in Afghanistan be slaughtered wholesale again if Afghanistan falls apart.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If there is a vacuum following a USA zero-option, they will move in to Herat and through the center of the country to the Hazara heartland to defend their co-coreligionists and culturally aligned but Sunni western Afghanistan leaders.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I do think that President Obama wants a zero-option in AFG before he leaves office; perhaps he has see in IRQ the truth that though ideologically correct, it may not be realistic. Maybe, if we are a little lucky and a little more smart ... we may manage to avoid catastrophe in AFG, but more cards need to come out of the deck.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qkiEWKRN73Y/VQbKBaD7AXI/AAAAAAAAJYA/hktz6_Wztso/s1600/withdrawalafghan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qkiEWKRN73Y/VQbKBaD7AXI/AAAAAAAAJYA/hktz6_Wztso/s400/withdrawalafghan.jpg" /></a></div>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-64105730239528674722015-03-15T16:41:00.001-04:002015-03-15T16:41:08.920-04:00"Red Flag" and the USAF, on Midrats<a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4241022753_29fdf39625_o.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4241022753_29fdf39625_o.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 184px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 216px;" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Courier New&quot;,Courier,monospace;">In parallel efforts that in the Navy which led to Top Gun, the US Air Force looked hard at the lessons of air to air combat in the Vietnam War and brought forward "Red Flag,"</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Courier New&quot;,Courier,monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Courier New&quot;,Courier,monospace;">Moving beyond the technical focus, they looked to training and fundamentals to bring back a primacy of combat skills.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Courier New&quot;,Courier,monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Courier New&quot;,Courier,monospace;">Our guest for the full hour Sunday from <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/midrats/2015/03/15/episode-271-red-flag-and-the-development-usaf-fighter-pilots">5-6pm Eastern</a> to discuss this and his new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813160596/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0813160596&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=cdrsalamander-20&amp;linkId=2KNO4J7FHBCGOY4G">The Air Force Way of War: U.S. Tactics and Training after Vietnam</a>, will be Dr. Brian D. Laslie, Deputy Command Historian, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM). </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Courier New&quot;,Courier,monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Courier New&quot;,Courier,monospace;">A historian of air power studies, Dr. Laslie received his Bachelor’s degree in history from The Citadel: The Military College of South Carolina, his Master’s from Auburn University Montgomery in 2006 and his Doctorate from Kansas State University in 2013.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Courier New&quot;,Courier,monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Courier New&quot;,Courier,monospace;">Dr. Laslie was Honorably Discharged from the United States Air Force in 2007 as a Captain after serving as a logistics officer, doctrine instructor, and Action Officer to the Commander of Air University.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813160596/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0813160596&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=cdrsalamander-20&amp;linkId=2KNO4J7FHBCGOY4G">Join us live</a> if you can with the usual suspects in the chat room and offer up your questions for our guest, but i<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">f you miss the show you can always listen to the </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/midrats/">archive at blogtalkradio</a>.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></span></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">If you use iTunes, you can add Midrats to your podcast list simply by clicking the <a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=910023979">iTunes button</a> at the <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/midrats">main showpage</a>&nbsp;- or you can just <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/midrats/id910023979?mt=2">click here</a></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">.</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <br /><center><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.adobe.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="270" id="100043" name="100043" width="210"><param name="movie" value="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf?file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fmidrats%2Fplay_list.xml%3Fitemcount%3D5&autostart=false&bufferlength=5&volume=80&corner=rounded&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/flashplayercallback.aspx" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf" flashvars="file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2fmidrats%2fplay_list.xml%3Fitemcount%3D5&autostart=false&shuffle=false&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/FlashPlayerCallback.aspx&width=210&height=270&volume=80&corner=rounded" width="210" height="270" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" wmode="transparent" menu="false" name="100043" id="100043" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 220px;">Listen to <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/">internet radio</a> with <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/midrats">Midrats</a> on Blog Talk Radio</div></center><hr /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>UPDATE:</b> Forgot to mention that you should also get BJ's first book if you have not already, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1612512437/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1612512437&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=cdrsalamander-20&amp;linkId=BD53KQUO2IDJOBGA">21st Century Mahan: Sound Military Conclusions for the Modern Era</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=cdrsalamander-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1612512437" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />.</span>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-74999487577762460662015-03-13T06:00:00.000-04:002015-03-13T06:00:02.855-04:00Fullbore Friday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qzZVXoi327g/VQJcJF-SJ4I/AAAAAAAAJXA/JogD6q4jzW4/s1600/article-2035704-0043EBBD00000258-228_634x286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qzZVXoi327g/VQJcJF-SJ4I/AAAAAAAAJXA/JogD6q4jzW4/s320/article-2035704-0043EBBD00000258-228_634x286.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Around every corner there are Fullbore stories that people will never know. Many times is because the Fullbore story never gets to its final act. Many times the actors are modest and demur. Sometimes there is simply no one there to witness it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The following is the first case, and it is one that applies to everyone who serves, active duty, reserves, guard, or perhaps even living your everyday life going to pick up the kids or fill up the car.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">When you get a chance to bring one of these out in to the light for a ponder, you should. Let's do that today.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Sometimes history calls you. How do you act? Well, that is where your true character comes out;</span><br /><blockquote>Things are different today, ­Degnon says. At least two “hot-cocked” planes are ready at all times, their pilots never more than yards from the cockpit.<br /><br />A third plane hit the Pentagon, and almost at once came word that a fourth plane could be on the way, maybe more. The jets would be armed within an hour, but somebody had to fly now, weapons or no weapons.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lX3V6fmY7eE/VQJcXV_YO9I/AAAAAAAAJXI/qHIULkwghes/s1600/351b_marc_sasseville_2050081722-9204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lX3V6fmY7eE/VQJcXV_YO9I/AAAAAAAAJXI/qHIULkwghes/s1600/351b_marc_sasseville_2050081722-9204.jpg" height="200" width="180" /></a></div>“Lucky, you’re coming with me,” barked Col. Marc Sasseville.<br /><br />They were gearing up in the pre-flight life-support area when Sasseville, struggling into his flight suit, met her eye.<br /><br />“I’m going to go for the cockpit,” Sasseville said.<br /><br />She replied without hesitating.<br /><br />“I’ll take the tail.”<br /><br />It was a plan. And a pact.<br /><br />‘Let’s go!’<br />Penney had never scrambled a jet before. Normally the pre-flight is a half-hour or so of methodical checks. She automatically started going down the list.<br /><br />“Lucky, what are you doing? Get your butt up there and let’s go!” Sasseville shouted.<br /><br />She climbed in, rushed to power up the engines, screamed for her ground crew to pull the chocks. The crew chief still had his headphones plugged into the fuselage as she nudged the throttle forward. He ran along pulling safety pins from the jet as it moved forward.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v9jOx-uuwRU/VQJcm-tUM-I/AAAAAAAAJXQ/h2qF9cLw-Xw/s1600/HEATHER-PENNEY.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v9jOx-uuwRU/VQJcm-tUM-I/AAAAAAAAJXQ/h2qF9cLw-Xw/s1600/HEATHER-PENNEY.JPG" height="200" width="187" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">You all know how it ended, but <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/f-16-pilot-was-ready-to-give-her-life-on-sept-11/2011/09/06/gIQAMpcODK_story.html">read the whole thing anyway</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Both pilots have gone forward with your standard issue careers, and yet ... for that one moment on that beautiful September morning - history called and they stepped forward. Then, history decided to take a rain-check.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Just another entry in the log book.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I want to indulge myself on one thing. I am a father of daughters and a big goosh about them. See the pic below, that is Penny with her father, another pilot. I think the pic, especially for fathers of daughters, speaks for itself.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BSXA8O12VKQ/VQJbtnnQhKI/AAAAAAAAJW4/BRdulgn-hn4/s1600/STpennye15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BSXA8O12VKQ/VQJbtnnQhKI/AAAAAAAAJW4/BRdulgn-hn4/s400/STpennye15.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Hat tip WG.</span>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-11107979475543616612015-03-12T06:30:00.000-04:002015-03-12T08:08:43.052-04:00Let's Check in with the Fruits of Transformation Age<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RBjZat4Lh9Q/VQEKgduEIpI/AAAAAAAAJWQ/4-Eui9MADSQ/s1600/ship%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RBjZat4Lh9Q/VQEKgduEIpI/AAAAAAAAJWQ/4-Eui9MADSQ/s1600/ship%2B1.jpg" height="182" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Never before has so much been spent for so long on so few in order to gain so little.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Yes, I will take two lumps of schadenfreude with my cup of gloat.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Oh, and please order a cup as well for the Old School members of the Front Porch a decade ago who warned everyone this is where these horribly executed programs would wind up; Byron, Sid, Mr. T's Haircut and others who in comments helped flesh out the opposition to these transformatinalist Edsels. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Let's start with the poster child for technology risk; <a href="http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/naval/ships/2015/03/09/navy-shipbuilding-destroyer-zumwalt-stealth-monsoor-bath-iron-works-general-dynamics/24681311/">DDG-1000</a>.</span><br /><blockquote>Problems with the complex technology being installed in the new destroyers of the Zumwalt class have forced the Navy and shipbuilder General Dynamics Bath Iron Works to delay delivery of the first two ships, the US Navy said Monday night.<br /><br />The Zumwalt (DDG 1000) had been scheduled to be delivered to the Navy this summer, but that has dropped back to November. Delivery of the second ship, Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), production of which is about a year behind Zumwalt, has also been pushed back a few months in 2016, to November of that year.<br />...<br />"The schedule delay is due primarily to the challenges encountered with completing installation, integration and testing of the highly unique, leading edge technology designed into this first-of-class warship," Cmdr. Thurraya Kent, spokeswoman for the Navy's acquisition directorate, said in a statement.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The only thing that gives me hope that this three ship technology demonstration project will produce something of value is that they are being built by BIW. If anyone can make it happen, they can.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">While we're enjoying our sad little Cassandraistic joy, let's see who is having fun kicking around the <a href="http://breakingdefense.com/2015/03/mccain-warns-navy-on-lcs-upgrade/">Little Crappy Ship</a>;</span><br /><blockquote>“Without a clear capabilities-based assessment, it is not clear what operational requirements the upgraded LCS is designed to meet,” McCain said. “The Navy must demonstrate what problem the upgraded LCS is trying to solve. We must not make this mistake again.”</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Senator McCain with a bone in his teeth; nice.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Of course we know what the LCS-to-FF is all about; (1) Keeping some production going in order to keep ship numbers up; (2) Keep #1 going in order to keep enough CDR Commands to fluff SWO numbers at the CAPT boards; (3) Keep jobs; (4) Fill the frigate gap with a non-frigate because the story we told for a decade about not needing a frigate was wrong. Something built here is better and nothing built at all because our egos and politics won't let us take better EUROFRIGATE designs and build them here.</span><br /><blockquote>O’Rourke takes issue not with the Small Surface Combatant Task Force itself, but with then-Secretary Chuck Hagel’s <a href="http://www.defense.gov/pubs/SD%20Signed%20Memo%20to%20SECNAV%20&amp;%20CNO%2010DEC2014.pdf">February 2014 memorandum</a> that rebooted LCS in the first place.<br /><br />“[There are] two formal, rigorous analyses that do not appear to have been conducted prior to the announcement of the program’s restructuring,” <a href="http://fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/RL33741.pdf">O’Rourke writes</a>. Before you commit taxpayer dollars to a weapons program, you traditionally take three steps, he writes: “ identify capability gaps and mission needs; compare potential general approaches for filling those capability gaps or mission needs…and refine the approach selected as the best or most promising.” In short, you figure out what problem you’re trying to solve, then how to solve it, then how best to implement that solution. The upgraded LCS skipped the first two steps.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yns8VqpemFM/VQEKlTtDRTI/AAAAAAAAJWY/YxXO2g0M-Js/s1600/lcs1_lcs2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yns8VqpemFM/VQEKlTtDRTI/AAAAAAAAJWY/YxXO2g0M-Js/s1600/lcs1_lcs2.jpeg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>Specifically, the Small Surface Ship Combatant Task Force did Step No. 3. The SSCTF was created to examine existing, all-new, and modified designs for “<a href="http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=17073">a more lethal and survivable small surface combatant, with capabilities generally consistent with those of a frigate</a>.” After extensive analysis, the task force came up with the ship that met those criteria best. But it was Hagel’s memo that set those criteria. It did so with no evident analysis of what specific problem the frigate was supposed to solve. Nor was there analysis of whether a frigate was the best solution, as opposed to some other kind of ship or something else altogether — for example a larger ship, an aircraft, or new tactics.<br /><br />“Having refined the design concept for [the upgraded LCS], the Navy will now define and seek approval for the operational requirements for the ship,” O’Rourke writes. “Skeptics might argue that definition and approval of operational requirements should come first, and conceptual design should follow, not the other way around.”</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This is where I find my inner Tim. I'm not sure if that is Laz or Galrahn playing King Arthur ... I'll let you ID Sir Robin. </span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XcxKIJTb3Hg?rel=0" width="480"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The bold faced lessons from the age of transformation; poorly concepts followed by spotty program managements pushed by personality will not trump centuries of lessons of the compounding impact of technology risk, program risk, and the limits of the human body</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Present and future leaders of our Navy; see what was done with these two programs and - don't do that.</span>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-23879916973191973502015-03-12T06:00:00.000-04:002015-03-12T06:00:06.297-04:00Diversity Thursday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JuWcajwvjBc/VQEEgXoC2qI/AAAAAAAAJWA/PsCtljouAIc/s1600/Deborah_Lee_James.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JuWcajwvjBc/VQEEgXoC2qI/AAAAAAAAJWA/PsCtljouAIc/s1600/Deborah_Lee_James.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Another DivThu that simply writes itself.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">OK you USAF types, think about all the challenges you face. Think of what you want your leaders evaluated on, what you want their efforts focused on, what you want scarce resources allocated to.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://dailycaller.com/2015/03/05/no-promotion-unless-a-commitment-to-diversity-is-demonstrated-air-force-sec-says/">BEHOLD</a>!</b></span></div><blockquote>Secretary of the Air Force Deborah James has decided to celebrate Women’s History Month by announcing a set of nine initiatives to increase diversity and inclusiveness in the service. The most notable is a <b>new requirement that unless those aspiring to leadership roles can demonstrate their commitment to diversity and inclusion, they will not be considered for promotion.</b></blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, how are you going to <a href="http://cdrsalamander.blogspot.com/2010/07/diversity-thursday_29.html">operationalize this</a>?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">More importantly, what metrics are you going to use? </span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Think about the implications here. The entering argument from the Secretary of the Air Force is, simply, that the present USAF leadership does not support "diversity" as she defines it. OK, if true, let's have some names. Let's get some Article 15s going. Let's see some Court Martial scheduled.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It is almost as if she is requiring people to prove that they aren't a bunch of racists, sexist homophobes. You cannot prove a negative. So, what will people do? </span><br /><blockquote>According to James, while there’s been some movement toward diversity in the past, it hasn’t been enough. This new strategy will ensure that the service is able to continue to attract the most talented and able minds. Career-field-development team chairs are now required to conduct analyses to figure out what is blocking “airmen from reaching their highest levels of performance ...</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, they need to publish self-criticisms?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This is all simply madness. This will drive many of your best away as they have one more example where it isn't about performance, warfighting, or service.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It is all about matching someone's else's non-performance based metrics. Shame on every civilian above the chain of command from James.</span>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-54902960938849679452015-03-11T07:01:00.001-04:002015-03-11T12:13:36.579-04:00At Sea, Size Matters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IZmxZh1eOnY/VP-8UI7aokI/AAAAAAAAJVo/juCkeQxYTKY/s1600/U.S.%2BNavy%2BImage%2B-%2BLabeled%2Bfor%2BReuse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IZmxZh1eOnY/VP-8UI7aokI/AAAAAAAAJVo/juCkeQxYTKY/s1600/U.S.%2BNavy%2BImage%2B-%2BLabeled%2Bfor%2BReuse.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Back on the 9th, a friend left a little note,</span><br /><blockquote>Who is Gregg Easterbrook?</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">... with a link to this article in the NYT, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/09/opinion/our-navy-is-big-enough.html">Our Navy Is Big Enough</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Who is Gregg, indeed. After a couple of minutes of google-fu, I realized he was mostly a sports writer who happens to be a contributing editor at, yes them again, <i>The Atlantic</i>. I read the article, shrugged at it, and got back to the paying gig.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, I should have realized that regardless of his background, a lot of the "right people" would read and digest what he wrote simply because he has <i>The Atlantic</i> and <i>NYT</i> stamps on his card.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Why him though? Who gave him the tasking? My head scratching was in line with <a href="http://www.andrewerickson.com/2015/03/touchdown-scores-are-in-for-a-debate-on-what-sort-of-navy-america-needs-mcgrath-7-easterbrook-0/">Andrew Erickson</a>;</span><br /><blockquote>I remain perplexed as to why the New York Times considered Easterbrook’s polemic a substantive piece worth publishing—particularly when there are so many prominent, readily-reachable experts available on this and related topics.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Looking at it a second time, if it is going to get that kind of traction - then it needs to be pounded. Most people who read the article will not know that much about the Navy, and sure won't know that the author of the article is a nautical noob. With that stage, someone needed to do something.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Lucky for us, two of our favorites have already pig-piled on Gregg's dog's breakfast of an article, and I highly recommend both to you today. Join in the feast.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">First, over at RealClearDefense, <a href="http://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2015/03/10/the_us_navy_is_big_enough_a_zombie_idea_that_wont_die__107725.html">Jim Holmes weighs in old-school</a>;</span><br /><blockquote>I feel like the Rick Grimes of naval affairs: the undead bad ideas keep coming no matter how many head shots you fire into the zombie herd. The Walking Dead fans among you will get that familiar feeling from reading the latest commentary on sea power, which appeared over at the New York Times yesterday. Read it and hurry back. And gather some extra clips along your way.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Nice ... very nice.</span><br /><blockquote>One lesson foreign officers learn in Newport, he opines, “is that there is zero chance they will ever defeat the United States in battle—so why even try?” <br /><br />Now, I’ve been around the Naval War College since 1992, first as a student and then during two stints on the faculty—most recently since 2007. International officers constitute about one-sixth of the student body, so I can’t speak for all of them. But I have yet to hear anyone, foreign or American, voice the views about U.S. invincibility that Easterbrook claims to have gleaned in the hallowed halls of Newport. <br /><br />More to the point, so what? Guess who sends no students to Newport: China, Russia, and Iran. No prospective foe of any consequence does. If someone in Newport is sending a message about American supremacy, there’s no one to deliver the message to Beijing, Moscow, or Tehran.<br /><br />Next, let’s vault up to the strategic level. Easterbrook contends that sea power is all about “contesting the ‘blue water,’ or deep open oceans.” No open-ocean challenge, nothing to worry about, it seems.<br /><br />Trouble is, this is a gigantic straw man. ... Blue-water combat isn’t at issue; near-shore combat is. And the picture is far murkier than Easterbrook allows in Asia’s marginal seas. <br />...<br />Easterbrook also bestrides shaky ground when drawing comparisons between China’s posture in the South China Sea and the U.S. posture in the Caribbean Sea. ... When Washington starts trying to dictate what others do in international waters or skies, evicts Latin American fishermen from waters near their home shores, or auctions off Caribbean states’ offshore seas to foreign firms for oil or gas exploration, then this analogy may gain credence. Not until then.<br />...<br />Yes, the U.S. Navy is constructing a destroyer class dubbed the Zumwalt class, a.k.a. DDG-1000. And yes, Zumwalt boasts some golly-gee technology. But its “huge arsenal” of guided missiles is smaller than that of current navy cruisers and destroyers (80 vertical-launch cells for Zumwalt, to 90 for DDG-51 Arleigh Burke destroyers and 122 for CG-47 Ticonderoga-class cruisers).<br /><br />Zumwalt’s “advanced cannon,” as Easterbrook terms it, is a 155-mm gun that delivers precision-guided but modest-sized projectiles at impressive range—and only against shore targets for now, not enemy fleets. This is not Victory at Sea. We’re not talking USS Iowa blazing away at enemy men-of-war with 16-inch guns.<br />...<br />Easterbrook fares little better when assessing carrier aviation. “No other nation is even contemplating anything like the advanced nuclear supercarriers like the United States has under construction,” he tells us. Really? Well, France has deployed a nuclear-powered carrier of modest size and armament, Charles de Gaulle, for over two decades now. So much for the nuclear aspect. <br /><br />Nor is nuclear power fated to remain a Western thing.<br />...<br />Easterbrook mocks Liaoning, the PLA Navy’s refitted Soviet-built aircraft carrier, as an “outdated, conventionally powered carrier.” How does he know China’s first carrier is outdated? Is it because of chronological age? No. Liaoning, nee Varyag, was laid down in 1985. Old, eh? <br /><br />But USS Theodore Roosevelt, one of the ten supercarriers Easterbrook touts, started construction in 1981 and was commissioned in 1984. Three of her Nimitz-class sisters are even older.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Read it all ... then follow the next link to our favorite, Bryan McGrath over at <a href="http://warontherocks.com/2015/03/no-the-navy-isnt-big-enough/">War on the Rocks</a>;</span><br /><blockquote>... Gregg Easterbrook, author and contributing editor at The Atlantic, wrote an op-ed at the New York Times on 9 March entitled “Our Navy is Big Enough,” in which he lays out why the U.S. Navy need not grow and why its funding is sufficient. His argument is a tendentious restatement of the poorly informed ruminations of others. He thoroughly misunderstands the role of navies in general, and the U.S. Navy in particular, and he inaccurately portrays the rising support of a larger Navy as a partisan wish of the Republican Party. Let us begin with that last point.<br /><br />Two consecutive independent National Defense Panels charged with reviewing both the 2010 and 2014 Quadrennial Defense Reviews reached the same conclusion: that the U.S. Navy was not large enough to meet its global commitments. These conclusions were affirmed by two leading Democratic Party members of those panels, former Secretary of Defense William Perry (2010) and former Under Secretary of Defense (Policy) Michele Flournoy, the latter of whom is considered very close to the presumptive Democratic nominee in 2016, Hillary Clinton. Additionally, the current (Democratic) Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus is basing his entire legacy on growing the fleet to 300 ships by 2020, a fleet which on March 2 stood at 275 ships. Easterbrook’s suggestion that this is some kind of Republican cabal is simply not supported by the available evidence.</blockquote>I<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> don't see how Gregg can recover from that. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Read it all ... it only gets better.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I think there is a big lesson here for the traditional media types - if you are going to throw ideas out there in the national security arena, you better bring your A-game.</span>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-84597432430399516502015-03-10T06:30:00.000-04:002015-03-10T07:43:53.509-04:00LCS handles "heavy" seas<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">As <a href="http://wtkr.com/2015/03/06/uss-fort-worth-plows-through-heavy-seas-video/">breathlessly reported</a>;</span><br /><br /><center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CV5zmDb7gdo?rel=0" width="640"></iframe></center><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Heavy seas, eh? Well, isn't that cute.</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/24OlTL10ObU?rel=0" width="640"></iframe>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-86654287333316857862015-03-09T00:14:00.001-04:002015-03-09T09:48:26.900-04:00So, how do you get your good name back?<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">A very cautionary tale of what media, poor leadership, and a priority system infused with paranoia, interservice friction, over-reliance on training vignettes, and a disposable sense of loyalty can do to good people.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mRJUi20txFE/VP0dJFEdl3I/AAAAAAAAJVU/JFpG6x_63O0/s1600/55142528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mRJUi20txFE/VP0dJFEdl3I/AAAAAAAAJVU/JFpG6x_63O0/s1600/55142528.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">First, let's time travel - back to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/20/world/asia/20abuse.html?fta=y">2007 and the NYT</a>;</span><br /><blockquote>Last May, Gen. Michael W. Hagee, the commandant of the Marine Corps at the time, went to Iraq to express deep concern to his marines and to reinforce what he called the “core values” that required them to respond to danger with thoughtful precision.<br /><br />But almost a year later, marines killed at least 10 civilians in Afghanistan in an episode that bore some striking similarities to the Haditha killings and suggested that the lesson had not taken, even in a platoon of combat veterans wearing the badge of the elite new Marine Corps Special Operations forces.<br /><br />Marine Corps officials said the unit, whose members undergo at least four months of specialized military training, did not receive specific values training addressing the lessons of Haditha. The actions of the 30 marines on patrol in Afghanistan appeared to contradict many of the edicts General Hagee had implored the marines to remember.<br /><br />“We use lethal force only when justified, proportional and, most importantly, lawful,” General Hagee declared in a series of talks he gave at Marine bases around the world. “We must regulate force and violence,” he added. “We protect the noncombatants we find on the battlefield.”<br /><br />A preliminary military investigation found that the marines killed at least 10 civilians and wounded dozens along a stretch of road near Jalalabad on March 4, and no evidence that they were being fired upon.<br />...<br />“You do ask, ‘How did this happen?’ ” said an officer familiar with the inquiry, speaking on condition of anonymity. “And it’s a fair question.”</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thanks to <a href="http://www.militarytimes.com/longform/military/2015/03/04/task-force-violent-the-unforgiven/23940295/">Andrew deGrandpre over at MilitaryTimes</a>, perhaps some good people can get their names back ... a bit. From the 1st of a 5-part series;</span><br /><blockquote>A prior-enlisted sergeant, Galvin made history in February 2006 when, as a major, he was selected to lead Marine Special Operations Company Foxtrot for the first-ever overseas deployment of an operational unit from MARSOC, the Marine Corps force that carries out highly sensitive missions for U.S. Special Operations Command. It was a prestigious assignment for which Galvin was hand-selected based on his record of success leading Marines in the service's specialized Force Reconnaissance community.<br /><br />But the job would become a curse. On March 4, 2007, less than a month after arriving in country, 30 men with Fox Company's direct-action platoon were riding in a six-vehicle convoy that was ambushed while patrolling in the Bati Kot district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, a nefarious transfer point for suicide bombers and other extremists entering the country from Pakistan. Media reports about the incident seemed to surface before the smoke had cleared and the shell casings were collected. And it seemed to leave little doubt that the Marines went on a wild rampage, inflicting mass civilian casualties.<br /><br />Within days, Fox Company was ordered out of the war zone under a cloud of shame. Galvin was stripped of command. Yet investigations into what happened in Bati Kot had only just begun.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">You need to read it all, as this is where it goes;</span><br /><blockquote>... the "facts" accepted by investigators and subsequently presented to the court varied dramatically depending on the witness, the report concludes. For example, an Afghan man allegedly driving an SUV at which the Marines fired gave testimony so inconsistent that O'Rourke, Sloat and Morgan could not determine whether he was present during the attack or "lying," the report says.<br /><br />The court's report says the investigating officer, Air Force Col. Patrick Pihana, attempted — unsuccessfully — to convince an Army explosives expert to reverse his determination that damage to their vehicles was caused by incoming small arms fire. After the soldier refused, the report says, the investigating officer elected not to include his statement in his final assessment of the incident, a decision the court's officers called "inappropriate" and may be due to the fact that the soldier's statement "did not support Col. Pihana's conclusion." Ultimately, Pihana recommended that four Marines be charged with negligent homicide. But to reach that conclusion, he had to "disregard the statements of every Marine on the convoy," the court determined.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>... Pihana, Kearney's (Army Maj. Gen. Frank Kearney, then the head of Special Operations Command Central) chief of staff, may have been "negatively influenced" by Kearney and others in the command — and that, above all, it was inappropriate for Kearney even to have assigned the investigation to his chief of staff, as doing so inherently raises questions about neutrality.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">When does a bias towards truth lose out to a bias to the news cycle? When does a instinct to support your own people and a faith in their honor lose out to an instinct to buy in to the enemy's INFO OPS campaign?</span><br /><blockquote>"The big injury to Fred and his men is moral," said Steve Morgan, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel and combat veteran who served as one of the three officers appointed to the court of inquiry. "It's an injury to their souls."</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Those who helped bring that injury?</span><br /><blockquote>Kearney told Military Times that he's "not interested in resurrecting the dead." He ordered an investigation at the Marine Corps' request, he said, indicating he believed that Marine leaders felt obligated in light of two other high-profile war-crime cases arising from the deaths of Iraqi civilians in Haditha and Hamdania. "If these Marines have heartburn," Kearney said, "it should be with the Marine Corps."<br /><br />Pihana declined to be interviewed. "In recalling that event I remain convinced there is nothing substantial I could add, remove or change to the original inquiry," he said. "… I can understand the personal feelings involved but that would not change the thrust of the investigation" he said.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">As is the case more often than not - you are alone, and the only thing you can can do is to speak the truth and let time reveal the larger truth. Ultimately, you have to speak for your own name. Fred Gavin is doing that for him and his Marines. See the video in the linked article above to hear him in his own words.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Loyalty and honor are interesting concepts. You can find yourself alone very quickly. If there are higher priorities held by some, you become just a vignette, not a fellow American. You can be all in the right, you can speak the truth, but if others find the truth inconvenient, and people cannot wait for the truth - then your loyalty and honor to your service, chain of command, and your nation will not matter. Those up the chain who expect all the loyalty of those down the chain will, in an instant, refuse to return that loyalty.&nbsp;</span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> </span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The below video came out within days of the incident.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"></span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">&nbsp;</span> <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="270" id="flashObj" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=4093761649001&playerID=1656678410001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAACnIIBGk~,NZYO3xUDM_Fewkum0jNMUUgcIyGth8MB&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=4093761649001&playerID=1656678410001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAACnIIBGk~,NZYO3xUDM_Fewkum0jNMUUgcIyGth8MB&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="480" height="270" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Who will be held accountable? Who will own up to the damage done to our Marines?</span>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-7791578452601664452015-03-06T07:49:00.001-05:002015-03-06T07:49:30.069-05:00Fullbore Friday<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Regardless of nationality, the naval professional is usually attracted to two things - strong and beautiful ships, and tragedy.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The news this week was full of the discovery of the center of that <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/03/04/390684719/japanese-world-war-ii-battleship-musashis-wreck-found">venn diagram</a>; </span><br /><blockquote>The World War II-era Japanese battleship Musashi was sunk by U.S. warplanes on Oct. 24, 1944, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the war's largest naval battles. Despite numerous eyewitness accounts at the time, the location of the wreckage was never known. Until now.<br /><br />Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, whose father served in World War II, says his research team discovered the Musashi's wreckage on March 1 in the Sibuyan Sea off the Philippines. Allen's team used "historical records from four different countries, detailed topographical data and advanced technology aboard his yacht, M/Y Octopus," a statement said.</blockquote><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">For context, from Part II of the exceptional, Battle of Leyte Gulf - go to the 19:00 point.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Fair warning, you may lose most of your morning's productivity.</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X6kYmpcHFcc?rel=0" width="480"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">You can get Part I, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj5HxdXS7_Y">here</a>.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XK0aPaYqt-k/VPmggzKZH1I/AAAAAAAAJU4/DyNrwAlqoug/s1600/musashi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XK0aPaYqt-k/VPmggzKZH1I/AAAAAAAAJU4/DyNrwAlqoug/s400/musashi.jpg" /></a></div>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-14442246412298612142015-03-05T06:00:00.000-05:002015-03-05T07:49:32.933-05:00Diversity Thursday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rUudbhxUy4U/VPfWQTrq00I/AAAAAAAAJUg/oODCc6uoQ3c/s1600/Pop%2BTarts%2BTarheel%2BBerry%2BNorth%2BCarolina%2BPrinted%2BFun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rUudbhxUy4U/VPfWQTrq00I/AAAAAAAAJUg/oODCc6uoQ3c/s320/Pop%2BTarts%2BTarheel%2BBerry%2BNorth%2BCarolina%2BPrinted%2BFun.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">A little reminder from last month about the very political nature of the entire Diversity Industry.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Each part of the Navy's diversity commissariat is really just the USN's contribution to&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">two things; (1) A source of employment for otherwise unemployable diversity professionals, (2) An outpost of the political system that exists to ensure the larger survival of (1).</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">That political system feeds, carves out reliable voting blocks, and fundraises off of division, sectarianism, hate, and the most base form of tribalism.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now and then, one of the branches of this toxic socio-political movement lets the mask slip in some way that serves as a nice, "<i>See, I told you so</i>."</span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This is not about diversity, inclusion, fairness, or any of the fruits of the enlightenment - it is just plain old rent seeking power blocks and their self-supporting network. When our Navy supports it - it is no different than if our funds were going directly in to a Political Action Committee supporting pick-the-cause. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This week's example is from our friends in <a href="http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/21114/">Chapel Hill</a>;</span><br /><blockquote>The leadership at UNC-Chapel Hill has made it clear that it supports diversity on its campus – as long as you agree with it politically, that is.<br /><br />Chancellor Carol Folt, Vice Chancellor Winston Crisp and the Student Advisory Committee to the chancellor co-hosted a dinner with 40 student leaders from student organizations across the campus last week to discuss diversity and the school’s future.<br /><br />But not a single conservative student group was invited to voice an opinion.<br /><br />In fact, right-leaning organizations including the UNC College Republicans, Carolina Students for Life, UNC Young Americans for Liberty, the Tar Heel Rifle and Pistol Club, and Christians United For Israel were not even aware of the dinner until the Daily Tar Heel wrote an article about it the next day.</blockquote><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Sure, feel free to take a shower Tarheels, you do look a bit slimy. </span>CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.com0